There are many great careers in swimming from Lifesaving (makes a good part time job) to teaching or coaching at what ever level you wish to achieve.
If you are interested in becoming a teacher or coach have a chat to Harry and he will point you in the right direction as he has already done with many of our club members. There are ex-members of Merton Pisces SC that now have jobs in most of the pools in the Merton area and several that are teaching. If you think it is something you would like to do the just ask.
The table in the middle has all the very basic courses any new teacher needs to expand their knowledge. Even though you may not think them necessary, they will be required as you progress through the teaching and coaching courses. There is a lot more to coaching swimming that just knowing the strokes. Many people can pass the courses but understanding the development of a swimmer, their biology, their limitations and what they are capable of both mentally and physically. Coaching swimmers and making it fun and something that keeps them motivated, creating sessions that are different, challenging, inspiring but enjoyable is something that takes experience and no certificate can teach you those things.
Below are a list of links and sites that may be of use to anyone wishing to start their employment in the aquatics world. Many young people start with the job of being a lifeguard, it is flexible and a good way to pick up knowledge of water sports before progressing and of you get to see how clubs operate.
| Site Links | Descriptions |
| Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) | RLSS UK Qualifications and Awards. On this page, you will find all the Qualifications and Awards provided by the RLSS UK. There are loads of courses to suit everyone and is a great start to any career. Lifeguards, First-Aid, Trainer Emergency Response or Pool Management. |
| Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) | National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) The Royal Life Saving Society’s NPLQ is the most awarded lifeguard qualification in the UK and Ireland and is also internationally recognised. More than 46,000 pool lifeguards qualify with the RLSS UK course every year, and there are currently more than 90,000 pool lifeguards qualified in the NPLQ – 95% of all UK pool lifeguards. RLSS UK is regulated by Ofqual, Qualifications Wales and CCEA in Northern Ireland |
| Royal Life Saving Society UK ILQ | International Lifeguard Qualification – If you are a current holder of a RLSS UK National Pool Lifeguard Qualification (NPLQ) or National Vocational Beach Lifeguard Qualification (NVBLQ) you are eligible to apply for an ILS International Certificate which may support you to secure lifeguarding employment overseas. |
| UK Coaching Safeguarding | UK Coaching have safeguarding and protections courses, these apply to any one coaching any sport. They have a selection of training options, e-learning, online classrooms, face-to-face, webinars and workshops. |
| UK Coaching Courses | All course related to coaching of all sports. Relevant to coaches in all environments, our expertly designed courses will help you develop your coaching skills and support you to achieve your potential no matter your improvement goals. |
| STA Jobs in Leisure | STA have a dedicated website showing all the available job in the leisure industry. The jobs are anything from cleaning to management. They also have teaching courses that you can find here |
| Careers in Aquatics | Home of the Best Swimming Jobs – Find your next great career opportunity in swimming. Search for your ideal job today. Careers advice, Volunteer places and jobs available in aquatics. |
| Institute of Swimming | All Swimming related courses. If you’re looking for the best swimming teaching, coaching, and pool plant training, you’re in the right place. We’re the leading provider of aquatics courses, and we’re here to support your career progression. |
| Institute of Swimming | Safeguarding – This course is a requirment for anyone working with children both in a swimming teaching and coaching environment. Completing this course will support club SwimMark submissions and is an integral part of Swim England’s Stronger Affiliation process. This workshop will raise your awareness of signs of abuse, and give you the tools and confidence you need to deal with any issues sensitively, appropriately and effectively should the need ever arise. |
| Institute of Swimming | Teachers Courses and information – Find out how to have a successful career as a Swimming Teacher including the qualifications you’ll need, hours, salary and how to get started. Becoming a Swimming Teacher can be an incredibly rewarding career, teaching an essential life skill to others. With a shortage of swimming teachers, there are currently many employment opportunities available for qualified swimming teachers, often offering flexible hours to fit around your lifestyle. |
| Institute of Swimming | Teachers Courses and information – So you want to teach swimming? Great, we provide the best opportunities for you to achieve your ambitions. We can help you start your journey as a swimming teacher, and then support you every step of the way as you progress to the level you want. |
| Institute of Swimming | Coaching Courses and information – As a coach, you inspire and deliver success at every level. Coach training from the Institute of Swimming helps you make aquatic sports more enjoyable for more people. |
| Institute of Swimming | Continued Professional Development (CPD) – We find that for most the gaining of a qualification is only the start of their swimming journey. The best teachers and coaches are always looking to add to their knowledge and develop their skills. For this reason, we offer a wide range of CPDs and online learning to help you develop your knowledge and skills. All our CPDs ensure you maintain the highest standards as your career progresses. |
| Swimming Teachers’ Association | Becoming a swimming teacher is a fantastic career path for those who are looking for a rewarding, active and challenging role. With flexible teaching hours to fit around your lifestyle, you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of a work-life balance whilst teaching an incredible and important life skill. Countless opportunities for employment are available with private swim schools and public leisure centres who are on the search for qualified, motivated and inspiring swimming teachers. |
| Swim England – Courses |
| Site Links | Descriptions | |
| Swim England Child Safeguarding Basic Awareness | This free online resource has been created with Swim England to give everyone involved in clubs a basic overview of child safeguarding. | Free |
| Teaching School Swimming and Water Safety | Equips Level 2 swimming teachers with the in-depth knowledge needed to deliver school swimming lessons that meet national curriculum requirements. | £25 |
| Introduction to Disability Swimming | This free online resource will give you an introduction to disability swimming. It covers best practice and how to support the inclusion of disabled people in swimming lessons and clubs. Completion is a requirement for clubs to achieve SwimMark. | Free |
| Deaf and Visually Impaired Friendly Swimming | This e-learning covers two modules: Deaf Friendly Swimming and Visually Impaired Friendly Swimming. It will help ensure that deaf, hard of hearing and visually impaired young people are fully supported in accessing swimming lessons and training. | £5 |
| Contemporary Issues | This free online resource is aimed at technical officials from across swimming, water polo, synchronised swimming, diving and open water. | Free |
| Mobile Devices in Swimming Lessons | This free interactive online resource provides swimming teachers with guidance on how to use mobile devices safely and effectively. | Free |
| School Swimming and Water Safety Overview | This free interactive online resource gives an introduction to School Swimming and Water Safety, including guidance on training, standards and a summary of the core aquatic and safe self-rescue skills. | Free |
| Foundations of Inclusivity | This e-learning will give you an introduction to equality, diversity and inclusion, covering the approach to inclusion, use of appropriate language and the importance of adaption. | £15 |
| A Beginner’s Guide to Refereeing Swimming | This free interactive online resource provides support and guidance for officials refereeing small or locally-run competitions. | Free |
| Swimming Technical Officials – Judge 1 Theory | This online learning is the first step to achieving Judge 1 status for swimming technical officiating. It is accessible to anyone who wants to understand the FINA rules relating to swimming and the process of being a Judge Swimming Official and Time Keeper. You must be at least 15 years of age at the start of the course. | £20 |
| Lesson Planning | This course is relevant to any Level 2 Swimming Teachers who want to refresh their knowledge on lesson planning. It is free for Institute of Swimming Members as part of their Online Learning Hub. | Free |
| Swimming regulators / bodies |
| Site Links | Descriptions |
| Sports England | The organisation that looks after water sports in England. |
| Swimming.org | The home of swimming, diving, artistic swimming and water polo |
| Swim England | Swim England is the only recognised national governing body for swimming in England. |
| Institute of Swimming | If you’re looking for the best swimming teaching, coaching, and pool plant training, you’re in the right place. We’re the leading provider of aquatics courses, and we’re here to support your career progression. |
| British Swimming | British Swimming is the national governing body for Swimming, Diving, Synchronised Swimming, Water Polo and Open Water in Great Britain. It is responsible internationally for the high performance representation of the sport. |
| World of Aquatics | Previously know as FINA, but now re-branded and updated. They are the world governing body for all water sports. |
| National Arena Swimming League | This is the home of The National Arena Swimming League to present you with rules, stories, details and results… anything for the premier swimming league competition in England and Wales. |
| Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) | RLSS UK has a proud history of helping to save the number of lives lost to drowning. Our mission is to be the leader in lifesaving and lifeguarding in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Sharing, our expertise and knowledge with as many people as possible, giving everyone the potential to save lives and enjoy water, safely. |
| Swimming Teachers’ Association | The Swimming Teachers’ Association is an international award-winning charity working towards the objective of preserving human life by the teaching of swimming, lifesaving and survival techniques. |
